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300 Years of Children's Literature

Children’s education / Addysg plant

Children’s literature had its origin in educational texts. Early works focused on learning by rote: memorising mathematical, historical, biblical and geographical facts by repeated recitation. Later works put a stronger focus on ensuring children enjoyed learning. They encouraged discussion, were simplistic and conversational in tone, and aimed to amuse as well as educate.

Percival Leigh, The comic English Grammar; a new and facetious introduction to the English tongue (1840)

The frontispiece of this amusing approach to grammar illustrates the idea that children learn better when they are entertained.Darlunnir wynebddarlun y llyfr difyr yma y syniad bod plant yn dysgu’n well pan y’u diddanir.

Mary Godolphin [Lucy Aiken], The Swiss family Robinson in words of one syllable (1869)

This well-loved children’s story is here illustrated, and retold in simple language for new readers.Llyfr poblogaidd i blant gyda darluniadau, a ysgrifennir mewn iaith syml i ddarllenwyr ifanc.

Arthur Mee, The children’s encyclopaedia (1910)

This popular encyclopaedia aimed to make learning a wide range of subjects interesting and enjoyable for children, as well as developing their character and sense of duty.Gwyddoniadur poblogaidd â’r amcan o ddenu plant at ddysgu am ystod eang o bynciau, yn ogystal â datblygu eu cymeriad a syniad o ddyletswydd.

John Amos Comenius, Orbis sensualium pictus [Comenius' Visible world. Or, A picture and nomenclature of all the chief things that are in the world], (1659)

Roots of children’s literature / Gwreiddiau llen plant

The earliest fictional literature aimed at children was intended to provide moral instruction, rather than amusement. Evangelical doctrine popular in the early Victorian period held that children were imbued with original sin, and required firm leadership towards morality. Many tales and fables were intended to frighten children into good behaviour, commonly through means of allegory.

A translation of a 17th century English work (James Janeway’s ‘Token for children: being an exact account of the ... joyful deaths of several young children’), this is an exemplar of ‘death-bed literature’: accounts of the conversion of young children and their testimonies before their early deaths.Cyfieithiad o waith Saesneg y 17g (‘Token for Children’, gan James Janeway), dyma enghreifft amlwg o ‘len gwely angau’, yn adrodd troedigaeth plant a’u tystiolaeth bersonol ar farw.

The Romantic cult of childhood / Delwedd Ramantaidd ar blentyndod

In the late 19th century, as a result of a declining culture of puritanism, children’s literature moved away from its instructive roots. Literary portrayals by Dickens and Eliot of innocent and redemptive children encouraged a new, sentimental approach. Children’s literature began to encompass more fiction and fantasy – genres previously frowned upon – and was often beautifully illustrated in colour.

Gendered texts / Llyfrau plant a rhagfarn ‘rywiaethol’

Children’s literature is often explicitly aimed at either boys or girls, often on the assumption that they do not have common interests. This practice serves to create artificial boundaries between children, and define norms of character and behaviour at an impressionable developmental stage. Even today, publishing companies are frequently criticised for gendered marketing.

A mix of fiction and fact, including historical articles on famous women, the paper stressed the benefits of education, travel, and even employment for women.Cymysgedd o ffaith a ffuglen, yn cynnwys erthyglau am fenywod enwog, pwysleisir y cylchgrawn budd addysg, teithio, a hyd yn oed cyflogaeth i fenywod.

Angela Brazil, The luckiest girl in the school (1916)

One of the first British writers of modern schoolgirls' stories, Brazil wrote from the point of view of the pupils, and intended her books primarily for entertainment rather than moral instruction.Un o’r cyntaf ym Mhrydain i sgrifennu straeon cyfoes i ferched, sgrifennodd Brazil o safbwynt y disgybl, ac anelwyd ei llyfrau’n bennaf at ddiddanu, nid i bregethu.

The boy’s treasury (late 19th century)

A collection of improving stories considered suitable for boys, including one addressing the question of what to be when one grows up.Casgliad o foeswersi a ystyriwyd yn addas i fechgyn, yn cynnwys ystyriaethau am yrfaoedd i fechgyn nes ymlaen.

The boy’s own conjuring book: being a complete hand-book of parlour magic (1860)

A book of magic tricks, number puzzles and chemistry experiments – the original ‘Dangerous book for boys!’Llyfr triciau hud, posau, ac arbrofion cemeg – y llyfr ‘peryglus’ cyntaf i fechgyn!

Y Frythones: at wasanaeth merched a gwragedd Cymru (1879)

Sarah Jane Rees (Cranogwen) founded one of the first magazines for Welsh women, aimed at their secular and religious education.Sefydlwyd un o’r cylchgronau cyntaf i ferched gan Sarah Jane Rees (Cranogwen), a anelwyd at eu haddysg grefyddol a secular.

Children’s fantasy literature / Llen Plant Ffantasi

Children’s fantasy originated in Victorian fairy tales that were used as moral stories; its progression to include other genres such as real life, adventure and history in conjunction with magic was developed by authors such as E. Nesbit. By the mid-20th century authors were utilising British mythology for inspiration; looking to Arthurian legends, and in Wales, to tales from the Mabinogion.

Five children, a talking phoenix and a magic carpet that will go anywhere in the world, with three wishes a day.Pump o blant, aderyn ffenics sy’n siarad, a charped hud i fynd i un man yn y byd, gyda thri dymuniad pob dydd.

Children venture into the magical world of Narnia; a land full of talking animals and mythical creatures, such as dwarves and giants.Antur a thaith gan blant i fyd hudol Narnia, gwlad llawn anifeiliaid sy’n siarad, a chreaduriaid dychmygol megis corachod a chewri.

A harp tuning key brings visions of the life of Taliesin to a young American boy living with his family near Aberystwyth.Mae allwedd hud i diwnio telyn yn rhoi cipolwg ar fywyd Taliesin i lanc ifanc o America sy’n byw gyda'i deulu ger Aberystwyth.

Inspired by the Mabinogion and Welsh myth, the books feature Gwyn, a young boy on a quest to see if he has inherited magic from his Celtic ancestor Gwydion.Ysbrydolwyd gan y Mabinogi a chwedlau Cymru, mae’r llyfr yn son am Gwyn, bachgen ifanc ar bererindod i weld a ydy wedi etifeddu doniau hud o’i hynafiad, Gwydion.

In Wales, as elsewhere, the earliest literature aimed at children was intended to provide religious instruction. This persisted longer in Wales: by the early 19th century, while English readers had more choice of stories, Welsh authors were still producing translations of 17th century Puritanical works. During the 19th century, translations of classic children’s stories became available. In the 20th century, Welsh authors began producing more original work, some of which was itself translated into other languages. Today, translation is either done still for ideological reasons (religious or political), or because a book is popular or well-established in its own language.

This tract appeared in English at least as early as 1725 as ‘The heavenly messenger, or, the child’s plain pathway to eternal life’. The names in the story appear to be allegorical (the dying child is called Benjamin Worthy).Tract a ymddangosodd mor gynnar â 1725 yn Saesneg, ‘The Heavenly Messenger…’. Mae enwau yn y stori yn ymddangos yn rhai alegoriol (Benjamin Worthy yw enw'r plentyn sy’n marw)

Harriet Beecher Stowe, Caban f’ewyrth Twm (1853)

One of several different Welsh translations of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the first being available within two years of the novel’s original publication. Hugely influential in highlighting slavery and encouraging anti-slavery sentiment in Wales.Un o nifer o gyfieithiadau Cymraeg o ‘Gaban f’ewyrth Twm’, a ymddangosodd o fewn dwy flynedd o gyhoeddi’r argraffiad cyntaf gwreiddiol, ac roedd yn hynod o ddylanwadol yn amlygu caethwasiaeth.

Christoph von Schmid, Y fasgedaid flodau (ca. 1880)

Translation of ‘Das Blumenkörbchen’, a sentimental story with a Christian message first translated into Welsh in 1861. The coloured illustrations make this more attractive, but this is still a morality tale.Cyfieithiad 1861 o ‘Das Blum’, hanes Cristnogol sentimental. Er yn hanes ‘moesol’ mae’r lluniau lliw yn ei gwneud yn fwy deniadol.

Chwedl Llyn y Fan (1917)

With illustrations by Margaret Lindsay Williams. This is a translation into Welsh of an English version of a Welsh legend. Welsh subjects were at last beginning to appear in children’s literature.Gyda darluniadau gan Margaret Lindsay Williams, dyma gyfieithiad Cymraeg o’r Saesneg, o chwedl Gymreig, yn awgrymu bod deunydd Cymreig yn dechrau ymddangos mewn llen plant.

E. Morgan Humphreys, Y llaw gudd (1924); An lámh fholuighthe (1947)

One of the first authors to write adventure stories for boys in Welsh. ‘Y llaw gudd’ is also one of the first detective stories in Welsh. Translated into Irish in 1947.Un o’r awduron cyntaf i ysgrifennu straeon antur yn Gymraeg, ac un o’r straeon ‘ditectif’ cyntaf yn Gymraeg. Cyfieithwyd i’r Wyddeleg yn 1947.

Many favourite children’s books of the twentieth century have crossed borders through translation.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Y tywysog bach (1975, reprinted 2007). Originally published in French, 1943, and said to be the most translated book in the French language / Dywedir mai dyma’r llyfr Ffrangeg a’r mwyaf o gyfieithiadau erioed.

J. K. Rowling, Harri Potter a maen yr athronydd (2003). Originally published in English in 1997, and translated into Welsh early as the Harry Potter books became popular / Cyhoeddwyd yn wreiddiol yn 1997, a chyfieithwyd yn fuan wedyn wrth i’w boblogrwydd dyfu.

The stuck-up kitty (1979); The beautiful dreamer (1979). Examples of the output of the Foreign Languages Press in Peking, which has close associations with the Chinese Government. Books for all ages are translated or produced in foreign languages for circulation in other countries / Enghreifftiau o’r ‘Foreign Press’ ym Mhecing, sydd â chysylltiadau agos â llywodraeth Tsieina. Cyfieithir llyfrau i bob oedran i’w gwerthu mewn gwledydd eraill.

The Children’s Mabinogion / Y Mabinogion i Blant

With Charlotte Guest’s translation in the 19th century, the tales of the Mabinogion crossed the boundary between adult and children’s literature. At the beginning, the adaptations had an educative role; but today the emphasis is on the supernatural and the fantastic, the dialogue between text and illustration being all-important.